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British marine served with Royal Marines aboard HMS Newcastle in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1939-1940; served aboard Prince of Wales in Far East, 1941 including sinking 12/1941; served on shore duties in Singapore, 1941-1942; POW in Singapore and on Burma Thailand Railway, 1942-1945

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REEL 1 Background in Devon, GB, 1921-1938: family; education; employment. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Marines in GB, 1938- 1939: background to recruitment; training at Deal Barracks; gunnery course at Plymouth Barracks. Aspects of operations as marine aboard HMS Newcastle in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1939-1940: drafting to ship; messing arrangements; role of marines on board; duties on board; patrolling in North Sea; duties on anti-aircraft gun; German bombing of Portsmouth. Recollections of operations as marine aboard HMS Prince of Wales in GB coastal waters and Atlantic, 1940-1941: drafting to ship, 1/1941; reception on arrival on board; work on 14 inch guns during working up period in Scapa Flow; action station in shell room; start of pursuit of Bismarck, 5/1941; hits on ship during action against Bismarck; coming up from below after action.
REEL 2 Continues: return to Rosyth; presence of Winston Churchill on board during passage to Canada; return to GB; participation in single Mediterranean convoy. Recollections of operations as marine aboard HMS Prince of Wales in Far East, 1941 including sinking 12/1941: ashore in Cape Town, South Africa during voyage from GB to Singapore, late 1941; ashore in Singapore; attack by Japanese Air Force; torpedo hits on ship; abandoning ship; sight of HMS Repulse sinking; rescue by HMS Express; return to Singapore; casualties amongst marines. Aspects of operations on shore duties in Singapore, 1941-1942: formation of 'Plymouth Argyles'; Japanese attack on Singapore; captured by Japanese. Recollections of period as POW in Singapore and on Burma Thailand Railway, 1942: initial impressions of Japanese; clothing and personal possessions.
REEL 3 Continues: question of escape; morale in camp; move to Thailand, 6/1942; conditions during railway journey; work on railway cutting; conditions during work on railway; nature of work; effects of injuries; working conditions on railway; working in railway workshops after completion of railway; working hours and rest periods; weight loss during captivity; question of survival; rations in camp; POWs who were friendly with Japanese; supplementing rations; behaviour of Japanese guards; degree of contact with outside world.
REEL 4 Continues: reaction to end of war; liberation of camp; return to GB, 9/1945; story illustrating attitude to having been a POW in Far East. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines from 1950-1966: return to service with Royal Marines; length of time taken to get physically fit; nature of service from 1945-1950; participation with 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Suez landings, Egypt, 1956 duties with Headquarters, Commando Bde after Suez operation; duties as NCO with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Aden, 1962-1964; retirement from Royal Marines, 1966.

Over two million American servicemen passed through Britain during the Second World War. In 1944, at the height of activity, up to half a million were based there with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Their job was to man and maintain the vast fleets of aircraft needed to attack German cities and industry.